Woodland Lions donate tricycle to youngster

As far as Cassidy Malcolm knows, her Christmas present was just too big to fit in Santa's sleigh last year.

At least that's what members of the Woodland Reveille Lions Club explained to the 8-year-old Thursday night as they presented her with her Christmas wish: A red bike.

"The bicycle that will work best for her needs is a specialized tricycle, similar to the one she uses during her therapy sessions," explained Cassidy's mother, Bethany Malcolm. Cassidy has cerebral palsy as well as other developmental delays.

"Providing specialized equipment for special needs kids is expensive and in nearly all cases is not provided by insurance unless it is considered medically necessary," Malcolm explained. "The cost of the tricycle was outside of our ability to purchase so we explored many funding sources and didn't have any luck until the Woodland Reveille Lions stepped up to the plate and agreed to fund the majority of the cost."

One week after sending the organization a letter explaining her daughter's need for the tricycle, the Lions called and said "we have a check for you."

"It was amazing," Malcolm said. "She wants to be like everybody else, part of the activities. This is something that will give her much more freedom to go on rides with her sisters and family bike rides."

Before this, Malcolm or her husband, Guy, would pull Cassidy in a bike trailer on family bike rides. Cassidy has two sisters; twin Kimberlee, 8, and Allison, 12.

Specialized tricycles can cost anywhere from $600 to thousands of dollars. Cassidy's trike cost around $800, and her family, friends and teachers were in attendance when she received her "bleated" Christmas gift.

The Woodland Reveille Lions club was chartered in 1970, sponsored by the Woodland Host Lions Club.

"There's lots of parents out there with children like this and they have no idea these resources are out there, or even who to ask," Malcolm added. "We're very thankful."